Twelve men have been arrested over the banners displayed at the match between Celtic and Linfield last month.

Celtic closed the Green Brigade section of their stadium for two games after Uefa charged the club over an alleged illicit banner and blocked stairways during the Champions League qualifying match with the Northern Irish team on July 19.

Police Scotland said 12 men, aged between 18 and 49, have now been arrested after a "proactive police investigation into banners and material displayed".

They have all been released on an undertaking to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court later this month.

Banners displayed during the Celtic v Linfield clash (Image: SNS)

Celtic's partial stadium closure, thought to have affected 900 season-ticket holders in the safe-standing section of the ground, will be lifted after the match with Hearts on Saturday but the club said "a number of fans within this area remain suspended" while investigations continue.

Celtic were fined over £20,000 by UEFA and have now totalled fines of over £160,000 since 2011.

The club moved quickly to condone the actions of the banner ahead of the latest punishment from European football's governing body.

Brendan Rodgers urged the Green Brigade to keep politics out of football (Image: SNS Group)

A statement from Celtic said: "Any support for a paramilitary or proscribed terrorist organisation has no place at Celtic Park.

"The club has been consistent in condemning such conduct on the very few occasions in the past when it has occurred at Celtic Park. It is unfortunate that such a small minority of the crowd at Celtic Park last night behaved in such a way.

"We know that the Celtic support will join us in condemning such behaviour."